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Cricket Players'His role model has been Sachin Tendulkar': Ajinkya Rahane says Virat Kohli can reach 100 centuries under one condition
Ajinkya Rahane feels Virat Kohli can get to the 100 centuries mark, provided he sets his mind to it.
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Virat Kohli put on a masterclass on Sunday night, bringing out every shot in the book to hit a quickfire century to help India defeat the West Indies by eight wickets in the ODI series opener. The experienced 37-year-old slammed nine sixes, the most he has hit in a single innings in his career so far. India's No.3 remained unbeaten on 139 off 88 balls, taking the hosts over the line with 50 balls to spare in the 296 run chase. Owing to this knock, Kohli slammed his 55th ODI century and 86th overall, and once again, the chatter has begun surrounding whether he has got enough in the tank to hit 100 tons in international cricket.
Kohli, who said he's not playing for personal milestones, can reach 100 centuries if he sets his mind to it, according to his former teammate Ajinkya Rahane. The former Indian batter said that if Kohli starts thinking about getting to the milestone, he will definitely get there.
“I think when Virat Kohli puts pressure on himself, that is when he is at his best. In every innings, he has done that. He has those expectations of himself. That is why he has been able to do it consistently for so many years," Rahane said on Cricbuzz.
"Knowing Virat, if he thinks about 100 centuries, there is nothing wrong with it, because his role model has been Sachin Tendulkar. So, I am sure he must be thinking about it. If he thinks about it, only Virat Kohli can achieve that,” he added.
Ever since retiring from Test cricket, Kohli has freed up, and it's showing in his gameplay, as the batter is more than willing to take risks in the first few balls he faces when he walks out to the middle. Before 2025, his strike rate was a tad above 72 in the first 10 balls of his innings, and it has now risen to more than 100. The first glimpses of the new attacking mindset were seen in the series against South Africa, and Kohli has not let up the pedal.
Can Kohli get to 100 tons?
Kohli, who only plays the ODI format for India, has roughly 30 matches left to score 14 more centuries and reach the coveted 100 tons, a mark achieved only once by his idol, Sachin Tendulkar.
Rahane added that the best in Kohli comes out when he puts pressure on himself and that's why he expects him to reach the prized mark.
“Many times, we think that if a player is thinking about milestones, that means he is selfish. But when Virat Kohli puts pressure on himself, that is when he does well. So, I am sure he will have a number on his mind, but at the same time, he will also have the thought that he has to enjoy the game as long as he is playing,” said Rahane.
